The present invention relates to a floor system.
None.
It is generally known to provide for a raised floor system that includes floor panels installed in a grid upon a supporting structure such as stanchions. Such known floor systems typically provide for floor panels that are composed of a structure or shell (typically steel) and a fill material. The fill material is typically an aggregate or cementitious mixture (e.g. Portland cement and gypsum) and is filled into the frame and allowed to cure to form the floor panel. Because the floor panels must provide a structure suitable to support floor loads, the result is a relatively heavy product (i.e. a complete floor panel of a 24 inch by 24 inch size may weigh approximately 20 to 40 pounds) that must be shipped to the installation site. Shipping costs can become a not insubstantial portion of total product cost (to fix e.g. approximately 20-25 percent for floor panels shipped from the midwest to the west of the United States). Moreover, although the floor panels can be lifted to provide access beneath the raised floor, the floor panels are not typically configured to provide for access points in convenient locations after the raised floor has been installed. Furthermore, the handling of floor panels during shipping, installation and when access is required beneath the raised floor tends to be difficult due to the weight and shape of the floor panels.
Accordingly, it would be advantageous to provide for a floor system that provides a support structure supplemental to stanchions or pedestals or the like and that includes frame members that are separate or independent from the floor panels so that the floor panels themselves can be made of a thinner material (e.g. floor tiles). It would also be advantageous to provide for a floor system that included floor panels with cut-outs and access covers that served a variety of functions such as allowing ready and convenient access to or connection to utilities such as power, voice and data.
The present invention relates to a floor system configured for providing a raised floor above a sub-floor in a work environment. The floor system includes a plurality of pedestals, a plurality of panels having side cutouts arranged so that the side cutouts are in alignment when the panels are installed on the pedestals to form an access opening from the combination of the side cutouts, an access cover configured to fit over the access opening, and a track configured to rest upon the pedestals and to provide a passage for utility carrier.
The present invention also relates to a floor system configured for providing a raised floor above a sub-floor to support a load in a work environment including a plurality of pedestals, a frame including a combination of frame members to provide a substantially open frame work supported on the pedestals so that the load is distributed load across the frame, a plurality of panels configured to be installed on the frame and to be quickly and easily removable.